Predominantly used in sports where there is a race that produces a finishing order, a forecast is a way in which you can go further with your predictions in order to add bigger odds to the bet you place. When you place a forecast, you don’t just need to select the winner correctly, but you also need to select which runner will finish second behind them.
A standard forecast is simply that one bet on who will win and who will come second, and you need to get them both right to win. Alternatively, for a little more flexibility, you could place a reverse forecast. This is two bets, again on two runners, but covering both options for first and second, so they can finish in any order, as long as they are the first two home.
How To Place A Forecast
When you go to place a forecast with your bookmaker, you will need to look out for the forecast betting market. This is something away from the main market and will be called forecast, there is no other name for it.
On this market, you will have the option to select which of the participants you want to finish first and which you want to finish second. When you place the bet on your betslip, you will then have the choice of whether you reverse the bet or not.
Key to remember here is that a reverse forecast is two bets, a regular straight forecast is one bet, so if you are reversing it, the cost will be doubled. Although a reverse forecast is one bet, essentially, what you are doing is putting on two forecasts, covering the same horses to come first and second, in the two different orders that are possible.
All bookmakers will accept forecasts on sports such as horse racing and greyhound racing, with many now also adding this type of bet to other sports. For example, if you are looking to bet on Premier League football and are choosing the outright winner, you can place a forecast on who will win the league and who will finish second behind them. Again, reversing this is possible, too, so you can cover both options.
What Are The Odds Of A Forecast Bet?
The odds on a forecast is where things get a little complicated. Traditionally, forecast bets are pool bets, which means the money is placed into a pool and then spread out amongst those that have the winning order, the more that get it right, the smaller the payout, when fewer get it right, there is a bigger payout.
For those that have placed Tote bets before on sports like horse racing and greyhound racing, this will be something you are familiar with. However, there is now a fixed odds forecast market available with many bookmakers.
This means you can place a forecast on a horse race, but instead of going with the Tote returns, you take a fixed price on the forecast from your bookmaker. The same is available with greyhound racing, and when other sports such as football and F1 are involved, the only option is to take the available odds, these do not have a Tote return.
While the returns on bets using the Tote system can be very good, sometimes way bigger than what traditional bookmaker prices return, if you are brand new to forecast betting and looking to keep things simple, going with the market offering odds may be the best thing to do.
What Is A Reverse Forecast?
When you place a forecast, you have two possible options. The first is a straight forecast, one bet, naming which runner will finish first and which runner will finish second. This is the simplest way to place a forecast bet, you choose the winner, choose the second placed runner, and pay one unit stake for the wager.
The second is to place a reverse forecast. When you do this, you don’t need to nominate the first and second. Instead, you just choose two runners who you think will be the first two to finish. A reverse forecast will place your bet on both possible options, for example, Horse A to beat Horse B and also Horse B to beat Horse A.
For this reason, the bet costs double the amount of your unit stake, so a £1 reverse forecast costs a total of £2, as there are two different bets inside of this that need paying for.
A reverse forecast is great for the races where you are not sure which selection will come out on top. You think two runners are better than the others but aren’t sure which order they will finish in. By placing a reverse forecast in this instance, you will bet on them to finish first and second because you think they are better than the rest, but don’t specify the order.
Of course, when doing this, you are paying double the amount for your bet, for some people, that may mean a smaller unit stake if placing a reverse forecast, so although you have better coverage, you won’t win as much.
Why Place A Forecast?
Forecasts are tougher to get right than a win bet because you have to stipulate the second placed runner, as well as the first. However, what forecasts do offer is a bigger reward for doing this.
If you are looking for ways to bet and you want to increase your potential returns, then forecasts do that. Yes, you will not win as often because the outcome is tougher to predict, but when you do win, the returns are going to be much bigger.
This is all about your betting preference, if you are happy with fewer winners, knowing that when you do land one, it will be bigger than what a regular single win bet will pay, then forecast betting may be for you.
However, if you go down this road, you must remain patient. Winners will come at slower intervals, so you need to trust your ability and know that when a win comes, it should come with bigger odds attached.
